Article created by: Ilona Baliūnaitė
The United States and European countries sometimes feel worlds apart. And it’s a natural thing for different nations to develop unique cultures, systems, and institutions. But once you start traveling a bit more broadly, you start comparing your destinations. Each place has its upsides and downsides, but the differences can be striking at times.
Redditor u/TREE__FR0G, an aspiring herpetologist, asked people to share the things that are completely normal in most places in Europe but would seem very strange to someone living in the US. Scroll down to see what the internet thinks are the biggest differences between Europe and the US.
#1
Providing healthcare to sick people without bankrupting them.
Image credits: EXXPat
#2
Prices already includes taxes
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#3
dd/mm/yyyy
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#4
Bathroom doors with no gaps
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#5
Decent public transportation.
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#6
Tips are optional
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#7
Walkable cities
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#8
taking an ambulance without a worry in the world
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#9
Online bank transfers. Americans get all excited over stuff like Venmo but I can send money to anyone via my online banking app for free.
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#10
Universal heath care and free college.
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#11
6 weeks vacation
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#12
The hugest surprise for me is the maternity leave. An entire, paid year? I get that they can channel more money into that stuff since the US has military needs paid for, but that’s still pretty impressive.
Image credits: DogsArePrettyCool4
#13
Go to the grocery store on your bicycle.
Walking from shop to shop in the city centre.
Image credits: GreenButterfly1234
#14
Taking your own shopping bag(s) to the supermarket.
Totally normalized in all European countries as far as I know. Or buy a (firm) shopping bag at the store if you don’t have one with you.
All those plastic bags in US stores, so small that it can only hold two cans of milk so you see customers with a dozen plastic bags for their groceries.. unthinkable in Europe.
Image credits: Shrooma111
#15
Not wearing shoes in our homes.
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#16
Mayo with french fries.
I’m in the US but have cousins in Holland. They introduced me to to this years ago and it’s pretty awesome.
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#17
Coalition governments
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#18
trains
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#19
The right to roam.
It’s glorious to be able to hike across private land when you grow up used to signs saying “Trespassers will be shot.”
Image credits: suzycreamcheese260
#20
Unlocked phones.
When I lived in the US it was hard for me to get around the idea that I couldn’t use the phone that I bought with AT&T with a SIM card from T-Mobile. In Europe I interchange my SIM cards with zero problems. I can even change my provider and keep the same number and of course the same phone.
Image credits: TravellingBelgian
#21
Legally enshrined right to online privacy
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#22
Roundabouts. They’re like the rotary phones of the road – Americans look at them in utter confusion and wonder where to dial.
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#23
Mandatory recycling
#24
Kinder Eggs
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#25
E-government, being able to do 99% of the things needed online.
Image credits: Xtasy0178
#26
More people are day drinking in Europe than I have ever seen in America.
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#27
Inter country travel. I don’t even live on the main European land mass. I live on a European island. But I can fly to most European countries in under four hours. And it’s not a million euro to do so.
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#28
Paying to use a toilet.
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#29
Well, in some countries, having a monarchy (UK, Denmark + the Faroe Islands, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, Leichtenstein, Monaco, technically also Andorra and Vatican City) or even a quasi-monarchy (Romania, Serbia, where the monarchies have a sort-of-official role while still being a Republic). Also, having a religion tax (which you can opt out of if you formally leave the Church or other religious organisation if there’s an option for it to go to a non-Christian one), in Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Spain (as a choice of where your tax goes, doesn’t change the overall amount) and some cantons of Switzerland. And having a particular state or established Church (England, Scotland, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Iceland) or national/”people’s” Church (Sweden, Norway).
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